Thread: A brace of Walnut tilt-top tables

BD The oystered top is spectacular .
I'm going to show my ignorance again . Where do the washers go ? Inside the birdcage .
And did Jim turn the ends on a square section for you to glue to one edge of the top bircage blocks?

I'll try and answer Peter. Firstly the top birdcage block is a bigger piece than than bottom to allow the pivots to be cut out of the solid. (done by hand by BD)
The washer goes over the pedestal between the top and bottom birdcage blocks. the pedestal at that point has a vertical slot cut through it to take a tapered key. this fits a keyway which is cut in the washer and when pushed in to position the taper pushed the washer down and locks the birdcage so that the top won't turn in use.
Cheers,
Jim

Originally Posted by jimbur

The washer goes over the pedestal between the top and bottom birdcage blocks. the pedestal at that point has a vertical slot cut through it to take a tapered key. this fits a keyway which is cut in the washer and when pushed in to position the taper pushed the washer down and locks the birdcage so that the top won't turn in use.

Jim and B-d, The wedge is not intended to lock the birdcage up solid, but to maintain tension on the washer so the table top revolves freely yet without slop.

The taper of the top of the wedge and the mating taper in the slot in the pillar is very shallow (typically less than 5°) to provide fine adjustment without locking up. A steep tapered wedge won't hold its adjustment and will require unreasonable force to stay put which usually results in the mechanism locking up – albeit until the steep wedge works itself loose again.

The two tapers must be accurately mated to work effectively.

thanks WW for putting me right.
Cheers,
Jim

So the idea of the birdcage is to allow the table top to turn and I guess to be easily lifted, complete with the cage, from the pedestal , not like this one

Originally Posted by Peter36

So the idea of the birdcage is to allow the table top to turn and I guess to be easily lifted, complete with the cage, from the pedestal , not like this one

Peter, the birdcage is purely to accommodate the top being rotated, though to be honest, I haven't seen a birdcage on a table of such small proportions. The ability to be dismantled is of no significance with normal pillar and claw wine/side tables.

The breakfast table in your picture however, is intended to be dismantled for moving, due to its bulk. Moving a table of this size as a whole is not only incredibly awkward, but is a danger to the table itself. I have seen quite a few breakfast and loo tables with the back (hinge) edge of the block split or completely broken off due to being moved with the top still attached. The top invariably gyrates about and is impossible to hold firmly even by two people. It doesn't take much for the top to flip past 'the point of no return', taking the 'hinge' with it.

Luckily it's not a difficult task to remove the top from a breakfast or loo table; the two pivot screws have purposefully designed brass thumb grips (visible in the image) to enable them to be withdrawn quickly and the top lifted off cleanly. It's usually ignorance or laziness that inevitably results in damage to the table.

Luckily it's not a difficult task to remove the top from a breakfast or loo table; the two pivot screws have purposefully designed brass thumb grips (visible in the image) to enable them to be withdrawn quickly and the top lifted off cleanly. It's usually ignorance or laziness that inevitably results in damage to the table

.

Laziness will generally trum a less than difficult task in those who I've known in the removal industry!

Peter, I'm impressed that you have velvet crowd-control ropes at your house!

cheers,
B-D

ps had a pleasant hour in the shed (gas mark 4 today, I think) and glued up the second 'cage. No bollocksing the bottom block this time either!

Originally Posted by Blue-deviled

.
ps had a pleasant hour in the shed (gas mark 4 today, I think) and glued up the second 'cage. No bollocksing the bottom block this time either!

Let's see then. And don't forget to drop the packet in the post.
Cheers,
Jim

THe carpet is nice too , don't you think.

Originally Posted by jimbur

Let's see then. And don't forget to drop the packet in the post.
Cheers,
Jim

As you wish.

Nice. And a fairly clear bench too.Cheers,Jima dozen screws enough?

Originally Posted by Blue-deviled

As you wish.

Which is your favourite and why?

Like BD the birdcages should look presentable when cleaned up.
As for the turning, I've never been completely satisfied yet. The pedestal on the left is my favourite piece of wood, hard and nicely figured. It is hard to believe that it comes from the same walnut tree as the one on the right. I was surprised by how similar the two varieties of walnut are when it comes down to it.
Cheers,
Jim

Been following this but haven't commented for a bit. I really like what I see!!

Have to say the workpersonship is brilliant from where I sit. Keep it going fellas>